Inspired by the 1980 satellite event Hole in Space by Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz, which connected people in New York and Los Angeles via live video, this project creates a virtual portal between two local museums. In collaboration with McKenna Clifford Yahyai and Zak Abramson, youth at the La Jolla Historical Society and the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego are connected over a live video feed, enabling children to play together in both a shared virtual space and a real physical space.
At the same time, children are invited to visit the Portal Photo Booth where their images from one museum will appear at the opposite museum! Users can enhance their photos by creating props inspired by work from the exhibit Space Maker. Once a child takes a photo at their booth, the image is printed at the opposite museum. Because their physical photo has appeared at a different location, the children must use the live video chat interface to coordinate with their peers. They will need to talk, gesture, and figure out how to exchange their pictures, turning a digital interaction into a collaborative social game and a way to connect.
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